Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 476.3 (2026)

Complaints — investigation — refunds

✓ current as of July 2026

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1. A public utility shall furnish reasonably adequate service at rates and charges in accordance with tariffs filed with the commission. When there is filed with the commission by any person or body politic, or filed by the commission upon its own motion, a written complaint requesting the commission to determine the reasonableness of the rates, charges, schedules, service, regulations, or anything done or omitted to be done by a public utility\n\nTue Dec 09 22:08:33 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 476 (110, 2) §476.3, PUBLIC UTILITY REGULATION 8\n\nsubject to this chapter in contravention of this chapter, the written complaint shall be forwarded by the commission to the public utility, which shall be called upon to satisfy the complaint or to answer it in writing within a reasonable time to be specified by the commission. Copies of the written complaint forwarded by the commission to the public utility and copies of all correspondence from the public utility in response to the complaint shall be provided by the commission in an expeditious manner to the consumer advocate. If the commission determines the public utility’s response is inadequate and there appears to be any reasonable ground for investigating the complaint, the commission shall promptly initiate a formal proceeding. If the consumer advocate determines the public utility’s response to the complaint is inadequate, the consumer advocate may file a petition with the commission which shall promptly initiate a formal proceeding if the commission determines that there is any reasonable ground for investigating the complaint. The complainant or the public utility also may petition the commission to initiate a formal proceeding which petition shall be granted if the commission determines that there is any reasonable ground for investigating the complaint. The formal proceeding may be initiated at any time by the commission on its own motion. If a proceeding is initiated upon petition filed by the consumer advocate, complainant, or the public utility, or upon the commission’s own motion, the commission shall set the case for hearing and give notice as it deems appropriate. When the commission, after a hearing held after reasonable notice, finds a public utility’s rates, charges, schedules, service, or regulations are unjust, unreasonable, discriminatory, or otherwise in violation of any provision of law, the commission shall determine just, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory rates, charges, schedules, service, or regulations to be observed and enforced.

2. If, as a result of a review procedure conducted under section 476.31, a review conducted under section 476.32, a special audit, an investigation by commission staff, or an investigation by the consumer advocate, a petition is filed with the commission by the consumer advocate, alleging that a utility’s rates are excessive, the disputed amount shall be specified in the petition. The public utility shall, within the time prescribed by the commission, file a bond or undertaking approved by the commission conditioned upon the refund in a manner prescribed by the commission of amounts collected after the date of filing of the petition in excess of rates or charges finally determined by the commission to be lawful. If upon hearing the commission finds that the utility’s rates are unlawful, the commission shall order a refund, with interest, of amounts collected after the date of filing of the petition that are determined to be in excess of the amounts which would have been collected under the rates finally approved. However, the commission shall not order a refund that is greater than the amount specified in the petition, plus interest, and if the commission fails to render a decision within ten months following the date of filing of the petition, the commission shall not order a refund of any excess amounts that are collected after the expiration of that ten-month period and prior to the date the decision is rendered.

3. A determination of utility rates by the commission pursuant to this section that is based upon a departure from previously established regulatory principles shall apply prospectively from the date of the decision. [C66, 71, 73, 75, §490A.3; C77, 79, 81, §476.3; 81 Acts, ch 156, §5, 9] 83 Acts, ch 127, §17, 18; 89 Acts, ch 59, §1; 89 Acts, ch 97, §1; 95 Acts, ch 199, §2; 2011 Acts, ch 25, §143; 2014 Acts, ch 1099, §3; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §2673; 2024 Acts, ch 1170, §369 Referred to in §476.1A, 476.1B, 476.4, 476.10, 476.33, 476.52 \n

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 15 cases, 1984–2012 · leading case: Off. of Consum. Advocate v. Iowa Utils. Bd., 770 N.W.2d 334 (Iowa 2009).

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Off. of Consum. Advocate v. Iowa Utils. Bd., 770 N.W.2d 334 (Iowa 2009). · cites it 13× “Iowa Code § 476.3 (1). Once the file is created, the Board must forward the consumer complaint and any additional evidence to the utility company.”

At&T Commc'ns of the Midwest, Inc. v. Iowa Utils. Bd., 687 N.W.2d 554 (Iowa 2004). · cites it 5× “1B(l)(d); see also Iowa Code § 476.3 (providing the IUB authority to investigate complaints).”

Nextera Energy Resources LLC v. Iowa Utils. Bd., 815 N.W.2d 30 (Iowa 2012). · cites it 2× “§§ 476.3, 476.20, 476.22–.26. The Board has also indicated that wholesale sales revenue from Wind VII will be included in revenue sharing calculations for ratemaking purposes through 2013, and thereafter, the Board has reserved the question of how the wholesale sales revenue…”

Off. of Consum. Advocate v. Iowa State Com. Comm'n, 432 N.W.2d 148 (Iowa 1988). · cites it 4× “If the board determines in the course of a proceeding conducted under section 476.3 or 476.6 that a utility is operating in an inefficient manner, or is not exercising ordinary, prudent management, or in comparison with other utilities in the state the board determines that the…”

Mid-Iowa Cmty. Action, Inc. v. Iowa State Com. Comm'n, 421 N.W.2d 899 (Iowa 1988). · cites it 12× “Iowa Code § 476.3 (1). The district court determined that the statute, when read in harmony with agency regulations, provides retroactive as well as prospective relief to utility customers wronged by collection of an unlawful reconnect charge.”

Iowa Elec. Light & Power Co. v. Lagle, 430 N.W.2d 393 (Iowa 1988). · cites it 2× “Iowa Code section 476.3 provides only for the board or the Office of Consumer Advocate to initiate formal proceedings.”

Nw. Bell Tel. Co. v. Iowa State Com. Comm'n, 359 N.W.2d 491 (Iowa 1984). · cites it 2× “33(4) of the Code, which codifies the principle, provides: The commission shall adopt rules that require the commission, in rate regulatory proceedings under sections 476.3 and 476.6, to consider the use of the most current test period possible in determining reasonable and just…”

Off. of Consum. Advocate v. Iowa Utils. Bd., 454 N.W.2d 883 (Iowa 1990). · cites it 4× “If the board determines in the *889 course of a proceeding conducted under section 476.3 [complaints investigation] or 476.”

Nw. Bell Tel. Co. v. Iowa Utils. Bd., 477 N.W.2d 678 (Iowa 1991). · cites it 2× “Iowa Code §§ 476.3 , *686 476.4, 476.6. Finally, the board’s decisions are subject to review by the judiciary as outlined in Iowa Code section 17A.”

Aventure Commc'n Tech., L.L.C. v. Iowa Utils. Bd., 734 F. Supp. 2d 636 (N.D. Iowa 2010). · cites it 4× “19, the HVAS Order is unreasonable, arbitrary, capricious, and an abuse of discretion; Count VI alleges that the HVAS Order would violate the “filed rate doctrine” and Iowa Code §§ 476.3 and 476.4; Count VII alleges that the HVAS Order violates Iowa Code § 476.”

OCMC, Inc. v. Norris, 428 F. Supp. 2d 930 (S.D. Iowa 2006). · cites it 4× “” Iowa Code § 476.3 . The Office of the Consumer Advocate or the complainant may also request that the Board initiate a formal proceeding.”

East Buchanan Tel. Coop. v. Iowa Utils. Bd., 738 N.W.2d 636 (Iowa 2007). “§ 476.3(1) (delegating to the board the express authority to determine the legality of a proposed discontinuance of service and, upon a determination of illegality, to determine what would constitute “just, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory” service, “to be observed and…”

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— Iowa Code § 476.3(1) — 4 cases

Mid-Iowa Cmty. Action, Inc. v. Iowa State Com. Comm'n, 421 N.W.2d 899 (Iowa 1988). “Iowa Code § 476.3 (1). The district court determined that the statute, when read in harmony with agency regulations, provides retroactive as well as prospective relief to utility customers wronged by collection of an unlawful reconnect charge.”

At&T Commc'ns of the Midwest, Inc. v. Iowa Utils. Bd., 687 N.W.2d 554 (Iowa 2004). “1B(l)(d); see also Iowa Code § 476.3 (providing the IUB authority to investigate complaints).”

East Buchanan Tel. Coop., An Iowa Coop. Vs. Iowa Utils. Bd., A Div. Of The Iowa Dep't Of Com., & U.s. Cellular Corp., Qwest Corp., & Off. Of Consum. Advocate (Iowa 2007).

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